About A Girl
by PerfectPerception
Summary: AU. How does one failing grade miraculously bring two teenage students, on opposite sides of the popularity spectrum, together? Like this. NoahHeather.
1. Circles

**Disclaimer:** All characters are retained by Cartoon Network and its partners.**  
Notes:** I normally write for the _Hannah Montana_ section but haven't found any inspiration to continue any of my chaptered stories, or create one-shots. And, coincidentally, one of my friends requested I write something for _Total Drama Island/Total Drama Action_, with her favorite non-canon pairing Noah/Heather incorporated into it, so here it is :) I watched a few of the earlier episodes of TDI, and a few of the TDA episodes, and was fairly surprised there's a small character development in Heather. With that note in mind, I have to admit I'm not entirely familiar with all the series or its characters but I'll try to write them as appropriate as I can.  
This is also AU, as in alternate-universe, so TDI/TDA never happened, and all the characters attend the same high school. Reviews would be greaaaat, and enjoy? :)

**Chapter One**

_Inquisitive and thoughtful  
She was the challenge he'd been waiting for  
A reminder that creativity runs deep like secrets  
_-Circles, All Time Low.

---

It was on a Thursday afternoon when Noah Daniels discovered two things that irked him more than inadequate literature: tardiness and…

_Heather Harris_.

He didn't know much about Heather. Besides her rather questionable reputation, that is. He had heard of her name mentioned before -- in between the noisy hallways of his school, or as incoherent whispers from girls and boys alike.

They were more or less all about the same redundant things: Heather was ruthless, malicious, and, on top of that, fairly good-looking. A dangerous mix. She had a dim-witted best friend he'd seen before -- always applying makeup on during class instead of taking notes -- and she had an equally, if not more, attractive boyfriend he wasn't ever fond of.

What none of the rumors or mentions had covered was her surprising failing English grade. Or that he was specifically requested to tutor her.

Or that she liked to run twenty-minutes late to their very first tutoring session their English teacher, Mrs. Letburg, had arranged between the two.

Suddenly the aforementioned girl appeared under the threshold of the school's library with her calculating stare sweeping over the muted room, eventually lowering toward Noah's seated form. She inhaled sharply, mumbling something to her pretty blonde friend, gave her perfect boyfriend a quick kiss, and sauntered to his table, a look of complete and utter disdain painted vividly across her features, and his quirked eyebrow rose even higher. She sat in the opposing seat across from him with the impending snarl never leaving her lips.

"Let's get this straight, geek-ward," she began only to be quickly intervened.

"Don't pretend you don't know my name," he snipped, his eyes falling effortlessly back onto his opened book. "I'm running for senior president next year, remember?"

"I don't remember loser's names," she scoffed, retrieving her own literature book from her yellow purse and placed it imprudently on the table.

Noah rolled his eyes. "If you don't recall, the morning announcements informed us election results will be revealed tomorrow."

"And it's a sure thing that neurotic -- not to mention, _completely_ unfashionable – girl, Courtney, is going to win."

"And your reliable sources are?"

"She's our junior president this year and her gross delinquent boyfriend, of course," answered Heather. "He'll somehow rig the votes. Anyways, I didn't come here to talk about your pathetic defeat in the school election polls."

"Correct. You came here because of your evident inability to read the text in books and retain easy details and plot points," Noah derided, his eyes still resting lethargically on his book. He could feel the heated anger rising from her body.

She stiffened in silent rage, her clenched fists giving way to her outwardly composed appearance. "I've got much better things to do than sit around and waste myself on a book. And I'm in honors."

"Drinking alcohol at parties and threatening to ruin other girls' lives aren't perpetual hobbies that'll get you very far in the future," he replied heedlessly. "And I'm in AP. What's your point?"

"My point is that I'm not as stupid as you think I am, nerd. And I didn't come here to talk about my eccentric life compared to your boring one. In fact, if daddy's insistence that I have good grades wasn't such a pain in my rear-end, I wouldn't even bother talking to you." she sneered. "So consider this a privilege."

"I'm reveling in it as we speak," he assured dryly.

"You just had to be top of Mrs. Letburg's class, didn't you?" frowned Heather.

Noah flipped a page of his book, drawling, "I suppose, for once, applying myself in school is a problem—having to tutor to you and all."

"Whatever. I don't _need_ this now," she hissed.

"No, what you need is a grade that isn't a D- in English," he finished. "And, coincidentally, because you can't get it by yourself, you need my help."

Heather's jaw clenched. "I can ask for someone _else_, you know."

"Oh please," he sighed dismissingly. "Like anyone else could handle your prissy attitude and that snob quality you carry around oh-so-well. I'm all you got left." He paused to check his watch and returned his eyes back onto his book. "Would you look at that, tutoring session time is up. See you tomorrow."

She grinned cruelly. "Tomorrow? What a shame. Tomorrow's a bad time for me."

"What?" he questioned, his eyebrow arched and defined. "Can't make it to your tutoring session on Friday because you'll be too busy partying and throwing up alcohol all over the place? Pity. I thought you'd be able to sustain your liquor a little more."

"As _if_ I'd tell you why I can't," she hissed sharply in response, tossing her hair promptly over her shoulder before huffing. "But, whatever geekboy, you can think whatever the hell you want about me—"

"Oh, I don't need to think, I _know_." he informed bitingily.

Heather's eyes narrowed. "You 'know', do you?" she seethed in challenge, crossing her arms across her chest while lucidly leaning back into the plastic chair. "Then, please, by all means enlighten me with your already formed assumptions of my life, twerp."

He peered upwards from the book's text, meeting her flaring eyes with his and he smirked. "Well, for one, I know your twiddle-dumb blonde friend isn't really your friend. In fact, she's the farthest thing from it. You just keep her around so you can simply maintain and control her position in your little high school kingdom."

Pausing only momentarily to punctually close the book in hands, he continued his analysis without falter, "yes, that blonde friend of yours is just a pawn in your little game when you very well know she could be a princess. Because, even if this school thinks you're attractive, you _know_ your friend's better looking. So you agreed to be friends with her when you noticed she was becoming a threat; that she could undoubtedly knock you off your prominent Queen Bitch pedestal and take over.

"You're just all about your appearance; your 'alpha female' necessity. I know it. Why else would you be dating your pretty-boy boyfriend who looks more at himself in a mirror than you? You're well off, you don't need to think of your future, and, therefore, your life lacks any real problems. You just fabricate them to make yourself look interesting. You're just an _image_ and that's all." he concluded dispassionately, that crude corruption to his grin growing.

Heather's lips curled at a cruel angle and he suddenly swallowed in confusion. She didn't look the least bit fazed at his ruthless nit-picking.

"You said that this school thinks I'm attractive," she smirked. "Which I can't say is wrong. But tell me, nerd, _you're_ a part of this educational building like the rest of us—so does that mean you think _I'm_ attractive too?"

Noah leveled his counterpart with a glare and shoved the literature book toward her. "Please, you're as shallow as a puddle. I'd never be interested."

"I didn't ask you if you were interested in me," she sneered amusingly. "I asked you if you thought I was attractive." She took her textbook, shoving it in her large purse before throwing its strap over her shoulder as she rose to her feet. "Of course, you don't need to. I know what you think. In fact, I can read you as well as you _think_ you can read me."

"You're mocking me," he observed tonelessly. "Which is funny -- in a pure hypocritical kind of way -- considering everything I said about you was true, wasn't it?"

She chose to ignore his question and instead pressed, "you'd like to know what I think of you, don't you?"

He wasn't able to respond, his reply dying in his mouth when she began scathingly, "I bet you have a big family, like six brothers and sisters, and you're the middle child. And you busy yourself with being an uptight smartass because you think you'll stand out; that you'll go somewhere in life, and your parents will 'appreciate' you more than the rest of your overachieving siblings. You just want to be noticed and, no matter how hard you try, you're _not_."

"Oh, trying to dig deep, Queen Bee?" he leered, the usual sarcastic edge equipped to his voice. "I'll commend you on your effort, but you didn't even scratch the surface. However, because you at least tried, I'll let you off this Friday. Go ahead and attend all your social gatherings over the weekend, but tutoring will resume on Monday."

"Jeez, I'm so thankful," she mocked. "And a bit surprised—you're not giving up on me yet?"

"I don't expect a lot from you, but I know how far my limitations can go. Don't assume you'll lose me anytime soon," replied Noah.

Heather's lips thinned. "I'll see you on Monday then."

She left without so much as a goodbye while Noah remained in his seat, allowing himself to return to his book.

Well, _that_ went well.

* * *

**More Notes:** To clear up any possible confusion: yes, Heather's blonde friend Noah referred to is Lindsay. No, Daniels and Harris aren't Noah and Heather's real surnames. And when we have class elections for my school, we have separate presidents/representatives for each class year, and elections run through the middle of the school year. So if you're freshmen you run for sophomore president, if you're a sophomore you run for junior president, and so on.  
Anyways, I hoped you guys enjoyed the first chapter despite Noah and Heather's incidental… 'dislike' for one another. They'll get over their prejudices soon enough… I hope, at least. More TDI characters will be introduced as the story progresses, and reviews would be pretty amazing. :)


	2. We Chose The King

**Disclaimer:** All characters are retained by Cartoon Network and its partners.**  
Notes:** Sorry this update took such a long time, guys, but thank you so much for the feedback! I'm seriously flattered from the positive reviews :) &yayyy to a semi-long chapter introducing more characters! Oh, and for future reference, this chapter takes place on Friday.

**Chapter Two**

_The queen is waving, watch that evil in her eyes,  
oh, I won't be around.  
The king is begging, don't you listen to the lies,  
oh and this time please just don't belong here,  
and don't forget his heart.  
_-We Chose The King, Brighten.

---

"Tutoring Heather Harris?" blinked Noah's relatively close acquaintance, Cody Halse, in astonishment. "Wow. I miss one day of school and come back to find out _this_! The fates are definitely working in your favor."

Noah quirked an eyebrow; shifting in his rather uncomfortable bus seat. "In my favor? She's a complete disaster of a girl."

"She's popular though," noted his counterpart. "Kind of pretty, I guess. Definitely not as pretty as Gwen though."

"Gwen? You still like that manufactured goth?" the thinner boy shot him a glare. "What? Oh, don't tell me you haven't considered her as the perfect spokesperson for Hot Topic."

"She's way good-looking and you know it!"

Noah thought for a moment. "I suppose if you take away that dark make-up, rebellious colored hair, and consistent black attire she'd fair well."

"Well?" Cody gawked. "She's _beautiful_. And if _I _were to ever tutor her, she most definitely wouldn't ditch me."

"Oh I'm fairly positive she'd insist you two stop seeing each other all together instead. Don't you think its high time you let the girl go?"

"You just don't get it, man," the smaller brunet shook his head dismissively. "I seriously could, like, fall in love with her. I'm not giving her up. Besides, Trent's just warming her up for me." A heavy frown weighed his lips down upon the sight of Noah's slight, mocking smirk. "What?! When you like someone like I like Gwen, you'll understand!"

"Ah yes, I just can't _wait_ for the day when I lose all sensibility to a girl." He jerked forward as the bus lurched and halted. It was his stop and he stood, grabbing his backpack before nodding a good-bye to Cody who waved in response, and he stepped off the elongated vehicle.

As he entered his home, he slid the straps of his backpack off on a nearby armchair and traipsed into the living room to find his mother attempting her best at multitasking. With one of his twin infant brothers in her arms and a cell phone resting between her cheek and shoulder, she beamed at Noah's arrival and rushed toward him.

"Oh Noah! Good. You're home," she babbled while transferring his sibling into his arms without so much of a warning. "Your father's work called him in late tonight and my shift's starting in about thirty minutes so we're gonna need to you take care of the kids with your sister, Nancy. I already got Noel in the crib but Nathan just doesn't seem to want to sleep. Nick called and said he'll be home in a few hours to help you and Nancy. I haven't made dinner but last night's leftovers are in the fridge. I gotta go. I'll call you tonight. Love you. Bye."

"Hi to you too, mom," he rolled his eyes, gingerly cradling his baby brother until Nathan's eyes began to droop about three hours after -- with the encouragement of a warm bottle and diaper change added in. He placed the infant in the crib next to Noel's, venturing downstairs to find his older sister lounging around in the family room. "I see you're having a good time."

"Shut up," she snapped, pushing her glasses from the bridge of her nose upwards before readjusting the pillows below her leg in a white cast. "I hate it when I stay home from school. Mom makes me act like second mom in command."

"Maybe if you didn't exert yourself to the point of fracturing your ankle you wouldn't have this little dilemma of yours," he suggested crisply and without sympathy.

She smirked. "Jealous of my athletic ability, Noah?" She stretched, her eyes never leaving him. "I know you just have a grand time during PE, walking in my basketball and soccer shadow."

"Oh yes, I strive for those injuries you receive on a daily basis."

Nancy opened her mouth only to be abruptly cut off by the doorbell. She frowned, furrowing her eyebrows together. "Mom didn't tell me about any guests coming over. It's already six, I -- _oh no_, what if it's Jeff?! I don't have any makeup on!"

Noah shrugged his shoulders, peering through the peephole. "Relax, it isn't your boyfriend or any of mom or dad's friends. It's Bridgette and Geoff."

Geoff had lived down the street from the Daniels' household for about five years now while Bridgette resided next door for as long as Noah could remember. He hardly conversed with the two, though; he wasn't particularly fond of their party scene the blonde boy had recently dragged Bridgette into from the very beginning of their relationship that bloomed about seven months ago.

He reluctantly opened the front door, greeting the pair with a cocked eyebrow. "How can I help you two?"

Bridgette smiled that pretty smile of hers and answered, "we were wondering if you had an extra plastic cups. You know, like the red ones?"

"For your party?"

She blinked. "Actually, yes. How'd you know?"

"I can see kids already coming into your house and Heather Harris implied she was going to a party today," informed Noah, arching his eyebrow further at the sudden fall to Bridgette's facial features.

"Heather? You invited _Heather_?" the blonde glowered cripplingly at her boyfriend. Noah remained in place, anticipating what would occur next between the incidentally quarreling couple. "Geoff, how could you?!"

The said boy immediately raised his hands in defense, his eyebrows furrowing together. "Bridge, chill. Heather's a friend and—"

"—yeah some 'friend' _she_ is." shrieked the girl. "I don't know about you, but I don't have friends like her! Friends that I talk about, when I'm wasted, to my _boyfriend_; rambling on how hot they are, or how I'd totally hookup with them if I wasn't already dating someone!"

"That happened months ago!" he reminded her in a softer, soothing tone opposed to her mercilessly vexed one. "And I like _you_, Bridgette, not Heather. Besides, she's dating Justin."

His reasoning didn't appear to lessen her temper the slightest, and she turned sharply to Noah with spite in her eyes. "Well, anyways, Noah, how about you come too?"

"But babe," Geoff whined, "no offense to Noah or anything but, like, the dude's a total buzz-kill."

"And Heather's a complete witch," countered Bridgette evenly. "Consider us even, _babe_."

He opened his mouth to protest, however, was interrupted at the intruding and deliberate cough from Noah. The two returned their attention back onto the brunet boy and he promptly replied, "I appreciate the proposal, but I don't partake in your kind of social gatherings."

The blond boy appeared relieved, resting a hand on the nape of his neck. "See, Bridge? He doesn't—"

Bridgette narrowed her eyes in determination. "Noah, come on! We've known you forever, and I feel super bad for not inviting you to Geoff's parties before. And you owe me."

Noah blinked, unfazed. "I owe you, Bridgette?"

"How many times have I offered to babysit your brothers and sisters so you could sneak off to the library or your room and read?" she stated rather than questioned; that endearing smile reappearing on her face. "Yeah, a _lot_. Say no to this party and consider your only means of rescue from babysitting gone."

"You play dirty," remarked the brunet, slightly impressed.

"So are you coming?" she grinned cheekily.

There was a hesitant pause and then, "I suppose I don't have much of a choice."

Geoff swallowed painfully while Bridgette beamed in triumph as she grabbed Noah's arm. "Great! Let's go!"

"Go?" he repeated. "Go now?"

"Of course! Like you said, the party's just starting!"

"But Nick and Nancy will prompt for my head to be mounted if I leave—"

"—I think you've forgotten that they owe me _too_," the blonde beamed again.

Noah sighed irritably but, nonetheless, allowed Bridgette to drag him about two blocks down to Geoff's considerably large house. He frowned, fighting the urge to question where Geoff's mind had gone when the blond teen had incidentally thought it was a great idea to _leave_ his house when a party with questionable kids was going on. However, he decided to keep his mouth shut, and reluctantly entered; feeling misery already biting at his insides.

He had seen plenty of these kids before while he had campaigned for the class president position earlier this month but had little want or need to speak with them outside of school. He searched through the forming group of teenagers, pausing when he watched the main door open way to more 'guests'.

And there Heather was; painted in that pretty little façade of hers. She entered the already rowdy -- or as Geoff would so intelligently put it -- 'happening' party, her eyes darted across the sea of faces with her fingers intertwined with Justin's while her blonde friend stood inches apart, most likely babbling on about something irrelevant to her date.

Her eyes abruptly met his and her lips slid into a vicious smirk. "Nerdboy? Since when did _you_ start living in -- what did you call it? Oh, I remember -- _my_ world?"

"I'm here on a vacation, didn't you hear?" he quipped effortlessly. "Bridgette insisted I be present for her boyfriend's blowout party of the year -- or was that week? Whichever."

"I didn't think you were interested in her type," sneered Heather.

"Oh, I just adore girls who babysit my brothers and sisters and date air-headed frat boys that waste themselves on liquor and 'good times'," he drawled dryly.

"Heather?" Justin frowned from her side. "Are you done talking to this kid?"

"Yeah," added her blonde friend in a childish tone. "I'm thirsty."

"I'm not your date, Lindsay," snapped Heather, "ask Tyler to get you something to drink, and, no, I'm not done insulting him, Justin."

In return to her response, the pulchritudinous boy sighed, shaking his head irritably before walking off while Lindsay took heed of Heather's advice, and allowed Tyler to find her something to quench her thirst. The raven-haired girl then proceeded to turn back to Noah, taunts already dancing on the tip of her tongue.

"You trained them well," he noted sarcastically.

"Why don't you crawl back to the hole you came from?" she snarled ruthlessly. "It's pretty obvious _these_ aren't your people."

"Neither are they yours, apparently," he reminded her nonchalantly; explaining when she appeared mildly confused on his comment, "you're wasting your precious socializing time on talking to me, aren't you? Why, if I didn't know any better, I'd say you like me."

Heather smirked. "Oh you'd like that, wouldn't you, twerp?" she quickly retaliated, once again, completely undaunted by the bookworm's biting comments. "But if _I_ didn't know any better, I'd say you just stuck around this party to see me."

"Oh you caught me," he replied in monotone. "How ever did you know I only came here solely to see you and all the _fake_ minions you surround yourself with? And to see how many girls' lives you actually have ruined with your pathetic idea of 'having fun' which, in your books, is ripping someone else's self-esteem to _shreds_. I don't know about you, but that definitely spells a good Friday night for me."

"Watch your mouth," she hissed cruelly, placing her hands on her well-toned hips. Noah strained his eyes to keep them from lingering, or traveling any further. He froze when he noticed she was leaning forward; immediately tensing despite himself as he felt her hot breath ghosting over his ear. "If you haven't forgotten, _Noah_, I can destroy you any day, _any time_."

"I haven't," he assured sharply. "But I assume I'd take more heed to your warning if I actually cared what you thought of me. But," he paused, lightly resting the palm of his hand on her bare shoulder, feeling her stiffen under his touch, "unlike the rest of the idiots in here, _Heather_, I'm not afraid of you. In fact, you should be afraid of me."

Heather pulled away, her flaring eyes narrowed into slits. "Afraid of you, nerd-boy? Don't make me laugh."

"I wouldn't worry about that. I don't intend to make you do anything or, for that matter, do anything to you," he insisted starkly, smirking. "Besides tutor you, that is." He gave her shoulder a quick pat. "Oh, and next time, don't be late."

"Noah?" Bridgette frowned, weaving through the teeming group of mingling teenagers; a hint of disgust reaching her eyes when her vision fell upon Heather. "Oh Heather. Chasing away the guests so soon?"

"Please honey, half of these 'guests' wouldn't have even came if I wasn't here," shot the brunette back.

"Since you two ladies have found one another," Noah interjected, "I'll leave you to yourselves. Thanks for your generous invitation to Geoff's idea of what a social affair is, Bridgette, but I must be getting back. Nick and Nancy are probably wondering where I am."

"Afraid you can't fend for yourself?" smirked Heather.

"Don't worry yourself with my affairs," he advised piercingly, his sharp eyes meeting hers before flickering toward the back of her; watching Geoff questionably eye the raven-haired girl's back. "Worry about _yours_."

* * *

**More Notes:** Realistically, parties don't generally start until the later hours ranging from eight to about midnight, sometimes even one to three in the morning -- for me that is, at least. But, admittedly, I really didn't want to fill in a five hour gap between the time Noah arrives home to the start of Geoff's party. Ha, sorry about that! But ummm yeah. Once again, thank you guys so much for the earlier feedback and I'd love for you to send more :)


End file.
